The upcoming primary elections in Texas are shaping up to be significant, with the deadline for voter registration set for February 2, 2025. According to the Texas Secretary of State, early voting will take place from February 17 through February 27. The application deadline for mail-in ballots is February 20. Prospective voters can visit the votetexas.gov website for information on their registration status, polling locations, and details about the ballot.
This election cycle features over 18 statewide offices, including the highly competitive races for governor and a seat in the U.S. Senate. All members of the Texas U.S. House of Representatives will also be up for election, alongside state lawmakers, district judges, and local officials. Notably, some voters will find themselves in new congressional districts following a redistricting process completed last summer.
Polls Show Shifts in Senate Races
In the race for the U.S. Senate, a recent poll conducted by Emerson College indicates that state Representative James Talarico from Round Rock leads U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett from Dallas by nine percentage points among likely Democratic voters, garnering 47% to Crockett’s 38%. This marks a notable shift from a previous poll by Texas Southern University in December, which showed Crockett with a similar advantage. Talarico leads among white and Latino voters, while Crockett enjoys strong support among Black voters.
On the Republican side, U.S. Senator John Cornyn is currently in a tight race with Attorney General Ken Paxton. The latest data shows them nearly tied, with Paxton at 27% and Cornyn at 26%. Wesley Hunt, a U.S. Representative from Houston, trails with 16%. If these margins persist, a runoff election is likely. The poll also reveals that Governor Greg Abbott holds a significant lead over his main Democratic challenger, state Representative Gina Hinojosa, with support at 50% compared to Hinojosa’s 42%.
Texas Energy Landscape Changing Dramatically
In a notable shift within the energy sector, solar power has surpassed coal in providing electricity to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid for the first time. According to a report from the Houston Chronicle, solar energy generated 67,800 gigawatt-hours in 2025, while coal-fired power plants contributed 63,000 gigawatt-hours. This transition marks a significant change from 2019, when solar power was not even categorized separately in ERCOT reports.
Professor Daniel Cohan from Rice University commented on this milestone, stating, “It’s a remarkable milestone. I don’t think anyone 10 years ago would have thought that solar would have surpassed coal this quickly.” Today, solar energy stands as the third-largest contributor to the ERCOT grid, following wind and natural gas, while coal has fallen to fourth place.
Proposed Cannabis Regulation Sparks Controversy
In another significant development, Texas is poised to implement new regulations that could effectively ban smokable cannabis products by January 25, 2025. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has proposed rules that include stringent packaging requirements, increased testing, and a dramatic fee hike for manufacturers and retailers. The annual fee for hemp manufacturers is set to rise from $250 to $25,000, while retailers will face increases from $150 to $20,000.
Many small business owners and cannabis users expressed their opposition during public hearings. Estella Castro, owner of Austinite Cannabis Co., stated, “These proposed fees don’t regulate small businesses, they eliminate them.” Despite the backlash, some speakers voiced support for the regulations, citing concerns about public health.
Public Health Initiatives and Migration Trends
In public health, the DSHS is expanding its Oral Rabies Vaccination Program to the El Paso area. This initiative, which distributes rabies vaccine baits to wildlife, aims to maintain herd immunity against rabies and prevent new variants from establishing in Texas. The program, which costs approximately $2 million annually and is funded by state and federal agencies, has not seen any confirmed human cases of rabies linked to variants found along the Texas-Mexico border since its inception.
Meanwhile, Texas has reclaimed its status as the most popular state for relocation, according to a report by U-Haul. The company’s rankings indicate a net gain for Texas based on one-way equipment usage. This marks the fourth time in five years that Texas has topped the list, following a year in which South Carolina held the top position. Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee rounded out the top five, while California ranked last.
As Texas approaches the primary elections and navigates these significant changes in its political and economic landscape, citizens are urged to remain informed and engaged.
